I like Ian Penman a lot

If only we could consult a big recent edited collection of essays about the UK music press in this period!

He just started following me on Twitter, lol

"his best writing has always been abt TV"

I think if I were to list my three short favourite pieces on Vital Signs these would be on Fassbinder, Jim Thompson and Rockford Files. Let's not put a limit here in the service of a not v convincing argument.

"all polls are bad anyway, polls that don't include TV, youtube, vine & tiktok are mere reactionary sludge"

You filled in a ballot in a poll that did not contain this 🤔

haha i just had a quick look at the "big recent edited" etc and yes, while New Journalism is mentioned several times it is generally treated by all and sundry there as a key liberatory precursor rather than the rubric under which ppl were still writing -- and to be honest when i'm not razzing the very razzable xyz i am probably more conficted abt its legacy than not

for example here in my um obit for tom wolfe: https://www.patreon.com/posts/invisible-dandy-18869032

🤔🤔🤔

i have to add that i haven't got past the second paragraph of that review yet, it is NOT enticingly written

I see that the review quotes Sinclair's praise of Penman. This reminds me that reading IP's recent Baudelaire article I saw how very very often he wrote like Sinclair, and I wondered which had influenced which, if either.

ILX..the board where all roads lead to Sinclair. And I wouldn't want it any other way.

Making my way through this review.

https://jacobin.com/2023/05/ian-penman-rainer-werner-fassbinder-thousands-of-mirrors-postwar-counterculture

"The music press became more corporate and poptimistic"

🤔

"Sharp and punchy and streamlined, his songs are like episodes of a TV series that had yet to be made by anyone."

https://harpers.org/archive/2023/06/chuck-berry-an-anthropologist-of-filth/

"I mean, cocaine was associated in the punk years with Linda Ronstadt and the Eagles and all this mellow, mellow rock, what they now call “yacht rock,” and I couldn’t work it out, because how could you mellow out if you’ve taken cocaine?"

https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/writer-ian-penman-on-foucault-freelancing-and-the-films-of-fassbinder

two writers i can't stand, a real meeting of the minds

I like cocaine

Did I say cocaine? I'm sorry I meant reading poetry.

if you like Ian Penman so much why don't u marry him

I like everyone

The fassbinder book is good

How much of it is actually about Fassbinder

Enough

The fassbinder book is good

― Grandall Flange (wins), Friday, 16 June 2023 bookmarkflaglink

Will probably get it, that discussion was good

Just read through Owen Hatherley's piece on Fassbinder in the LRB. I love how Penman really reviews the book (the first review I put way up the thread was bad), wrestles with the content of it. The section where he writes about Fassbinder's abuse is powerful too.

Does Hatherley touch on the fact that Penmman barely mentions any of the actresses that Fassbinder worked with?

Linda Ronstadt and the Eagles aren't yacht rock ffs

xp: no, but I don't think it's a thorough study of Fassbinder?

Nitpicking but "Why Does Herr R Run Amok?" is not a "minimalist film noir set among the lowlife the Federal Republic".

Maybe he was thinking of “The American Soldier”?

Sorry my original post is how OH really reviews IP's book.

Of course

Maybe he was thinking of “The American Soldier”?

Well, there's three (interconnected) films that fit the description and Herr R isn't one of them.

Gotcha - I love OH and largely enjoyed the Penman book (and love Fassbinder too) so am excited to read, cheers for the heads up.